Customer Reviews

Journey Home (Aladdin Books)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

" You may journey far and wide in your life, but there is nothing like the journey home. "

The book journey home is an out standing example of a young girl's bravery and courage during WW2. The story begins when Yuki and her family are released from concentration camp to travel back to their home in Berkeley California. When they got there Yuki feels UN welcomed and afraid, because people have been prejudiced toward her and many Japanese Americans.

Yuki shares a close relationship with her brother and is disappointed when he wounds his leg in war. Yuki knew things would be different, but she didn't know things would change so much that her best friend Emi wouldn't want to do the things with her like they use to do. Yuki wishes for a return to the time before the war, but realizes things will never be like they were. I liked this book because it is a heart-warming story told by a young girl discovering that life has joys among hardships

This is the best book ever. It is about a young girl, Yuki, who is sent to a few Japanese concentration camp. She deals with many of the hardships that the Japanese faced during this important period of American/Japanese history. This book made me cry, laugh, and learn. It is EXTREMELY well written, and i would reccomend this book to anybody, and i already do. If you are planning to read this book, make sure you read Journey to Topaz first, also by Yoshiko Uchida.

This was one of the best books I've ever read. I never knew that Japanese-Americans were put in internment camps during WWII. It was very interesting, but in some parts it was sad, because of racial issues. People called them racial names, segregated themselves, even did damage to their property just because they had a Japanese face. Thankfully, not all people were this way, like Mrs. Jamieson and Mimi's family. This book was very touching. I would recommend it to everyone. This encouraged me to learn more about Japan in World War II. If you liked this book, try reading "Journey to Topaz," "A Jar of Dreams," "The Invisible Thread" and "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes."

This is a well written story about a Japanese American family and the hardships they encounter as they assimulate back into mainstream America from internment camps. I especially liked the story about Ken's return from the 442 regiment and the feelings he had about the war. This story explains the viewpoint from all sides, I think. The hatred and fear from some, and the caring and support from others. You will be touched by this story.

Home at Last!

Journey Home is a great book to read. Young children will love the book and will learn the hard times the Japanese had together.
The books main character is a young Japanese girl named Yuki.
During the war Yuki and her family got sent away to a concentration camp. Her father was told to leave their family and join the army.
While at camp Ken decides he and a friend also want to go serve in the army. A year passes and Yuki and her mother are still at camp. Papa comes back, just as a train comes. Yuki, her mother, and her father go on the train back home. When they are at home Ken called to tell them he is in the hospital. He came home a little later and everyone was worried. Yuki was sad but things had to be done. Papa and a friend were working in a corner market grocery store together and Yuki and mother helped too.
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me turning the pages until I was done. The reason I think this book is a four star book and not a five star book is because sometimes when the characters were talking it got to be a bit boring. I also didn't like how the author told a lot of the same things over again.

The book "Journey Home" by Yoshiko Uchida truly reflects the gowvernment and American society during World War 2. It shows that the American government wasn't as thoughtful or complex as it is today. They thought that since one group of Japenese was dangerous, then they all must be dangerous. They forced all of the Japenese out of their homes on the coast of the US and into internment camps. In these camps, their "apartments" were actually smelly, old horse stalls. In this book it shows the struggles of a poor Japenes-American girl and he family. Could you imagine being in this young girl's shoes? Not having hot water, having to wash your clothes in a barrel, not to mention the waiting in line just to wash your clothes. But this book woke me up and made me think abot being in her shoes, walking where she walked, and it was the greatest experience to read and imagine. This forshadowing and exilerating story will fly you to another place and show you what life was like for Japanese families during World War 2. It will take you on an adventure; without making you pay for an airplane ticket.:)

"The Journey Home" provides insight into the injustices of Japanese Americans. Yuki asks about the security threat and the Japanese are shocked believing not security threat exists. A band of boys caused some disruptance without any real damage. The Japanese morally should have had a right to "face their accusor", a right to legal counsel, receive "due process of the law", and a "speedy trial" before being sentenced as a prisoner. The incareration became a "best bad thing": 1. The Japanese distributed throughout the United States away from tight knitted Budhist communities and intergrated into American culture 2. The Japanese intermarried, abandoned traditions, and adopted Christian belief systems. 3. The Japanese exported skills and talent over a large geographical area and through hard work were rich within a decade. Japanese brain power help America surge forward into prosperity. 4. The Japanese community formed strong bonds of friendship, cooperation, and trust due to the hardships and trials they suffered.

Injustices included forced sell furniture and personal items, lotting of stored items, property was lost, the Japanese were given prison numbers and report times; no legal representation - constitutional preemption of personal liberties based on military national interests; the Japanese were not fairly financial reimburse or restored for the lands, homes, and possession they lost; the Japanese travel by cattle cars to camp and the women in coaches; and the Japanese spent years in forced confinement until the war neared completion.

Yuki and her family were sent to Topaz. Yuki describes living conditions as dusty and hot. The Japanese were forced to eat beans, potatoes, and pork; a diet foreign to them. Yuki describes the murder of her friend Emi, grandfather, who was shot while walking along the gate. The guards were suppose to protect the prisoners, but instead it seems they harrassed the prisoners and used them as target practice. The soldiers claimed the old man was trying to escape. The Japanese community claimed he was not.

Yuki and her family were allowed early leave from the prison camp and lived in a small apartment in Salt Lake City. Yuki accidently breaks a vase that her mother kept. Yuki suffers from anxiety relating to her brother fighting in Italy for the 442nd. Yuki fears her brother is hurt or will die on foreign soil.

Hope is restored for the family. Yuki's father learns the California law banishing all Japanese Americans from California has beenrevoked. Yuki is called a "Jap" by a white lady and told to "go home, we don't want you here." Yuki asks her mother to attend her as she uses a remote bathroom and her mother agrees without question. Yuki and her family arrive after many days traveling by train to Berkley, made possible by sponsership from Reverend Wada. Yuki learns that her brother Cal has been injuried while fighting in Italy under the 442nd group and will return home.

Mr. Oka wants to buy back his store. Mr Oka sold his store for $400 and the new owner wants $5,000 to buy it back. Yuki's father offers to help Mr. Oka and tells him that the Japanese community will need to group together resources to help start business again, a financial credit union, brillant. The financial brillance of this idea was amazing. I image that if communities today worked in such cooperation then less small business would fail. The Japanese community raise the finances without the burdensome weight of interest.

"That our son Ken", "Just about your age Ken", "Our son was killed in Iwa Jima", "Your son was killed by the Japanese? It could have been the son of one of her friends in Japan who had thrown the grenade or pulled the trigger or thrust the bayonet that had killed Johnny Olssen" Stephen Ollsen says to Mr Oka, "but try now to forgive us if you can. Don't destroy yourself with anymore bitterness." Mr Oka replied, "I guess forgiving does take the bundle of hate off your back. Still, when you've been wronged for so many years..." Mr. Oka then looked at Ken and said, "I suppose we need to forgive ourselves, just as much as other people."

The book problem is that this girl Yuki is a Japanese girl that has had a tough life all in all but it gets even harder after she gets out of the * HOLDING CAMP* as they call it. This has taken place after World War II Yuki wants things to go back to the way they were before the war and people started to judge people. So many things change she wants to move back and have the same friends and know the same people, but they had to go on with there lives and make new friends. So they move to a church and make new friends and start there lives over. After this they start a business but something tragic happens to it so back to the beginning.
I loved this book it gave me more insight on the war and tough me that the U.S. did not always choose the best decisions. It was sad but very interesting to read. I learned how it would be for these and other cultures to live through racism. It also showed how people forgave other people and how they did not judge. This was a great book and maybe the best book I ever read.

The book is a good book, but in the middle, too many good things happen that don't make me want to keep reading. However the authors purpose is good, and it helps with understanding World War II, and what happened to Japanese people. I like the book emotionally.

Journey Home is an very interesting book. The story takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah where Yuki and her family strugle to live and be free, and happy.
The camp in the desert is where Yuki and her family, friends and neibors have the terrifying experinces of their life.

This is an exciting book. I would rate this book around a five.
I would recommend this book to almost everyone because this incidenthad occured before in life.